Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05SANAA477
2005-03-06 05:46:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Sanaa
Cable title:  

SALEH TELLS SYRIAN PRESIDENT TO WITHDRAW TROOPS

Tags:  PREL LE YE 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 000477 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/05/2015
TAGS: PREL LE YE
SUBJECT: SALEH TELLS SYRIAN PRESIDENT TO WITHDRAW TROOPS
FROM LEBANON


Classified By: CDA Nabeel Khoury for reasons 1.4 b and d.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 000477

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/05/2015
TAGS: PREL LE YE
SUBJECT: SALEH TELLS SYRIAN PRESIDENT TO WITHDRAW TROOPS
FROM LEBANON


Classified By: CDA Nabeel Khoury for reasons 1.4 b and d.


1. (U) President Saleh telephoned Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad the evening of March 4, advising him to withdraw
Syrian troops from Lebanon in accordance with the 1989 Taif
Accord. This move followed Foreign Minister Qirbi's
statement at the March 3 Arab League Ministerial declaring
confidence in the Taif agreement as the basis for solving the
current crisis in Lebanon.


2. (U) According to government Arabic daily "al-Thawra,"
Saleh advised Assad to respond to international pressure by
withdrawing Syrian troops from Lebanese territory "quickly"
and "in accordance with the Taif Accord" and, "in the
interests of Syria, Lebanon and the Arab Nation." Saleh
reportedly recommended a speedy pullout to preempt any
"pretext to trap or target Syria."


3. (C) Comment: Prior to Saleh's phone call, the ROYG had
not been vocal about the current Syrian-Lebanese crisis, and
Saleh does not routinely give public advise to other Arab
leaders. Following Rafiq Hariri's assassination, Saleh
limited his comments to condemning his murder and urging
restraint in jumping to hasty conclusions on responsibility
(re: Syria). Saleh has been attempting of late to emphasize
his role as regional statesman, most notably in the Horn of
Africa. Following his phone call to Assad, Saleh's office
called CDA at home to alert us to this intervention. CDA
informed the caller that the U.S. appreciates Saleh's use of
his good offices with Assad and that the Embassy would pass
on this information to Washington.
Khoury